Method for Marking a Tool

ABSTRACT

A method is disclosed for marking a tool. The method includes the steps of providing a tool, cleaning the tool, providing a printed layer on the tool, and providing at least one electroplated layer on the tool. The step of cleaning the tool includes the step of providing an air blast over the tool. The step of providing the air blast includes the step of providing an air compressor for producing the air blast. The step of providing the air compressor includes the step of providing an electrostatic dust gun that produces ions in addition to the air blast so that the ions neutralizes static charges on the tool as the air blast sweeps the tool.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to tools and, more particularly, to amethod for marking tools.

2. Related Prior Art

People drive threaded bolts and nuts of various shapes and sizes withtools such as open-ended wrenches, box-ended wrenches, monkey wrenches,socket wrenches or screwdrivers. A toolkit may include a handle and aset of sockets and/or screwdriver bits of various shapes and sizes. Inoperation, the handle is connected to a selected one of the socketsand/or screwdriver bits for driving a threaded bolt or nut of a certainshape and size. Thus, a toolkit can be used to drive threaded bolts andnuts of various shapes and sizes. It is important to mark the tools toindicate their sizes and/or carry trademarks, logos and/or patterns.

Conventionally, a mark is provided on a tool by relief or provided in atool by intaglio before the tool is electroplated. The mark and thebackground are substantially of a same color. The mark is not clearlyvisible amid the background as they are in weak contrast to each other.

Alternatively, a tool is electroplated before it is printed with a mark.The mark is clearly visible amid the background since they are in strongcontrast to each other. However, the mark could easily be removed fromthe tool because of hits, abrasion or scratches. Hence, the clearvisibility of the mark amid the background is not durable.

Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,121 issued to the present applicant isa method for marking a tool. In the method, a reverse-type mark isdefined amid a painted layer on a tool. The painted layer is used as abackground around the reverse-type mark. The painted layer includespaint of a color or paint of colors based on chromatography. Then, thetool is electroplated so that an electroplated layer covers the toolexcept the painted layer. The thickness of the painted layer is smallerthan that of the electroplated layer so that the painted layer would noteasily be removed from the tool by hits, abrasion or scratches and thatthe reverse-type mark could remain clearly visible amid the paintedlayer.

However, there is not unusual that the tool carries some static chargesthat attract dust. The dust affects the attachment of the painted layerto the tool. In that case, the painted layer could easily be removedfrom the tool. Therefore, the reverse-type mark would not be clearlyvisible amid the broken painted layer.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to obviate or at leastalleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide aneffective method for marking a tool.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the method includes the steps ofproviding a tool, cleaning the tool, providing a printed layer on thetool, and providing at least one electroplated layer on the tool.

In an aspect, the step of cleaning the tool includes the step ofproviding an air blast over the tool.

In a further aspect, the step of providing the air blast includes thestep of providing an air compressor for producing the air blast.

In a further aspect, the step of providing the air compressor includesthe step of providing an electrostatic dust gun that produces ions inaddition to the air blast so that the ions neutralizes static charges onthe tool as the air blast sweeps the tool.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description referring to the attacheddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of thepreferred embodiment referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an effective method for marking a toolaccording to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tool at a first step of the methodshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tool at a second step of the methodshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tool shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tool at a third step of the methodshown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tool shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, there is an effective method for marking a toolaccording to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, at 10, there is provided a tool 22. The tool22 is a socket for example. The tool 22 is made by casting or forging.It is not unusual that the tool 22 carries static charges that attractdust.

At 12, the tool 22 is cleaned. In the step of cleaning the tool 22 maybe executed with a dusting apparatus 40. The dusting apparatus 40 ispreferably an electrostatic dust gun that produces an air blast as wellas ions, positive or negative, so that the air blast carries the ions.The ions neutralize the static charges on the tool 22 as the air blast,which carries the ions, sweeps the tool 22. Thus, dust is easily removedfrom the tool 22 by the air blast.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, at 14, the tool 22 is provided with acolored layer 20. The colored layer 20 is provided by dying, painting orprinting for example. The colored layer 20 is of a reverse type, i.e.,white on black. In detail, left blank amid the colored layered cover 20is an area corresponding to a desired mark. However, in anotherembodiment, the colored layer 20 may be used as a mark. The coloredlayer 20 may include colorant of a single color or colorant of colorsbased on chromatography.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, at 16, the tool 22 is provided with atleast one electroplated layer 30 that covers the tool 22, including thereverse-type mark 21. The electroplated layer 30 does not cover thecolored layer 20 since the colored layer 20 is electrically isolating.Preferably, the thickness of the electroplated layer 30 is larger thanthat of the colored layer 20 so that the colored layer 20 would noteasily be removed from the tool 22 by hits, abrasion or scratches.Therefore, the reverse-type mark 21 remains clearly visible amid thecolored layer 20. However, the thickness of the electroplated layer 30may be identical to that of the colored layer 20.

The present invention has been described via the detailed illustrationof the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derivevariations from the preferred embodiment without departing from thescope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodimentshall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in theclaims.

1. A method for marking a tool including the steps of providing a tool,cleaning the tool, providing a colored layer on the tool, and providingat least one electroplated layer on the tool.
 2. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the step of cleaning the tool includes the step ofproviding an air blast over the tool.
 3. The method according to claim2, wherein the step of providing the air blast includes the step ofproviding an air compressor for producing the air blast.
 4. The methodaccording to claim 3, wherein the step of providing the air compressorincludes the step of providing an electrostatic dust gun that producesions in addition to the air blast so that the ions neutralizes staticcharges on the tool as the air blast sweeps the tool.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the step of providing the colored layerincludes the step of defining a reverse-type mark amid the coloredlayer, which is used as a background.
 6. The method according to claim1, wherein the colored layer includes colorant of a color.
 7. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the colored layer includes colorant ofcolors based on chromatography.
 8. The method according to claim 1,wherein the step of providing the at least one electroplated layerincludes the step of providing several electroplated layers.
 9. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the electroplatedlayer is larger than that of the colored layer.
 10. The method accordingto claim 1, wherein the thickness of the electroplated layer isidentical to that of the colored layer.